UTEP Softball to Host SEC’s Ole Miss Friday & Saturday

UTEPvOleMiss_GameNotes

EL PASO – The UTEP softball team will take a break from league action and will host Southeastern Conference program Ole Miss April 20 and 21 at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex. Friday's contest between the Miners (18-26) and Rebels (23-18) will start at 7 p.m., while Saturday's game is set for a 4 p.m. start.

Friday night's contest is a 'Blackout' as tickets will be $2 for fans who wear black.

The Miners are on a four-game winning streak and have won seven of their last 10 contests, after shutting out New Mexico on April 16. The Miners threw a no-hitter against New Mexico on Feb. 17 in Las Vegas, Nev., during an 8-0 win in five innings. UNM went hitless for the first 4.1 frames during Monday's contest. Prior to the victory against UNM, UTEP is coming Conference USA foe North Texas April 14-15.

UTEP first baseman Kacey Duffield was named the C-USA Player of the Week after her clutch performance during the Miners' sweep against the Mean Green during the weekend. The junior hit .600 with a slugging percentage of 1.400. Duffield hit two home runs with four runs and racking up seven RBI.

Sunday's contest ended in unique fashion as back-to-back putouts were recorded from left and right field, respectively, to complete the series sweep. In back-to-back UNT at bats, Kaitlin Ryder threw a runner at home from left field to record the second out, while Taylor Sargent threw out another runner at home from right field.

With the sweep against North Texas, the Miners jumped up to the no. 9 spot in the conference standings, as the top eight schools will advance to the C-USA Softball Championship May 9-12 in Charlotte, N.C. The C-USA series sweep was the first for UTEP since sweeping North Texas April 30-May 1, 2016.

UTEP, after a 1-8 start in C-USA action, is 6-3 since when with a pair of victories against UTSA (March 30), a triumph at WKU (April 7) and the recent series sweep against UNT. UTEP also improved to 12-4 at home overall, while its league home mark is 6-3. UTEP defeated UAB, 16-13, on March 18.

UTEP senior Courtney Clayton, who started her 200^th consecutive game on April 16, ranks third in C-USA with a .406 batting average, while ranking in the top 10 in multiple offensive categories. Ryder ranks in the top 30 in C-USA with a .315 average. Ryder, who had struggled a bit at the plate, is hitting .476 during her last seven starts. Junior hurlers Kira McKechnie and Julia Wright have combined for four wins during the four-game winning streak, while Wright earned her C-USA-leading fourth save against North Texas on Saturday. Wright also tied the program's single-season record with her fourth save. Wright added her first complete-game shutout in the mix on Monday against New Mexico.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. OLE MISS
UTEP is 0-1 all-time as it fell 6-4 against Ole Miss on March 6, 2011 in Denton, Texas. Kayla Black put the Miners ahead 2-0 in the top first after she connected on a two-run home run. With score 4-2 in favor of Ole Miss, Kia Moore brought the Miners within a run during the fourth when she was hit by a pitch with bases loaded. Moore also scored a run in the seventh inning.

SCOUTING OLE MISS
The Rebels are coming off a 7-0 victory against ULM on April 18 in Oxford, Miss. Old Miss is 23-18 overall on the season and 5-13 in SEC play after losing the first two games against Mississippi State, but coming back to win the third game of the series, 7-6, after being down 6-3 on Sunday. Ole Miss is 6-4 in its last 10 contests, that includes a victory against no. 14 LSU on April 8. Ole Miss also defeated no. 3 Oregon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Feb. 17. The Rebels are hitting .253 with 13 home runs. Kylan Becker leads the team with a .323 batting average and has tallied 10 RBI, while Elantra Cox paces the squad with 18 stolen bases, while hitting .315 with 10 RBI. Autumn Gillespie leads the team with 25 RBI and seven doubles, and is tied with Amanda Roth (.147 avg.) for the team lead with three home runs. Ole Miss has a 2.72 ERA, while Kaitlin Lee (13-8) leads the team in wins, starts (19), innings pitched (128.1) and K's (64). Ava Tillmann (3-3) has a 2.46 ERA in 48.1 innings and Anna Borgen (3-5) has fashioned a 2.46 ERA in 49.2 innings.

UTEP VS. SEC TEAMS
Ole Miss is only the second SEC program to play in the Sun City. Missouri played a pair of contests on March 21, 2016. UTEP dropped both contests, but Taylor Sargent hit .500 with two doubles and scored a run. Sargent also registered two RBI and drew a walk in the series. UTEP (0-8) has yet to defeat a SEC program. UTEP also faced Missouri to open the 2018 campaign while taking on Arkansas in 2004, Tennessee in 2004 and 2009, Ole Miss in 2011 and Texas A&M in 2016.

C-USA POST SEASON UPDATE
The top three teams (by winning percentage) in each division, along with two Wild Card teams from either division will advance to the Conference USA Championship in Charlotte, N.C. May 9-12. As of April 19, UTEP is standing in ninth place in the C-USA overall standings. LA Tech (13-5) leads the West Division, while Florida Atlantic (9-6) leads the East. UAB (10-4-1) ranks second in the West, while North Texas (8-7) sits at third in the West. Marshall (10-7-1) is in second and FIU (8-7) is in third in the East. Middle Tennessee (7-8) and WKU (7-8) occupy the Wild Card spots. MT will host FAU this weekend, while Marshall will play at WKU. UTSA will host Southern Miss, and North Texas will host FIU. UAB will play at LA Tech.

OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
The Miners offense, after posting a .204 average during an 18-game stretch (2-16), has picked up the slack the last 10 contests (7-3), hitting .353 (March 30-April 16). UTEP currently ranks second in Conference USA with a .288 batting average, while ranking 71^st nationally. UTEP's 331 hits rank third, behind Marshall (333). UTEP ranks third in slugging (.432) and fourth in runs (194).

MORE ON THE LAST 10 GAMES
The Miners scored a total of 36 runs during an 18-game stretch (2.0 runs per game), while hitting seven home runs with 21 doubles. The last 10 games have seen the Miners score 68 runs (6.8 runs per game) along with recording 18 doubles, four triples and connecting on nine home runs.

EXTRA-BASE HITS
UTEP ranks third in Conference USA with 497 total bases (North Texas leads C-USA with 534). The Miners rank second with 30 home runs (North Texas – 49 HR), tied for second in triples (10) and fifth in doubles (56). WKU leads the league with 13 triples, while also leading with 61 doubles. Three programs (Marshall, UAB & Charlotte) are tied for second with 58 doubles.

#TURN UP
UTEP leads Conference USA with 17 double plays turned. Its .39 double plays turned per game is ranked first in C-USA and 57^th nationally.

FOURTH IN FIELDING PERCENTAGE
UTEP's .964 fielding percentage ranks fourth in Conference USA. If the season were to end today, the Miners' 2018 fielding percentage would be a single-season team high in program history. The 2016 Miners fashioned a .962 fielding percentage.

C-USA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
UTEP junior first baseman Kacey Duffield was named the Conference USA Player of the Week on April 16. Duffield hit .600 with a pair of home runs, seven RBI, four runs, two doubles, a walk, stolen base and 17 putouts. Duffield recorded a career-high four RBI on a 2-for-3 effort during UTEP's 11-5 game two win against North Texas on April 14. She hit a two-run home run during the second inning, drove in a pair of runs on a double during the fourth and scored a run in the third after drawing a walk. Duffield opened the series with a 2-for-4 performance, while driving in two runs off a single in third inning during the game one 11-8 triumph. Duffield capped the weekend with a solo home run during the fourth that helped the Miners chip-away at a 3-0 deficit, in which UTEP rallied to win the contest 4-3. Duffield also doubled in the second.

DUFF-FIELDING
Kacey Duffield's bat has been stellar in her first season as a Miner, but glove had been a hoover at first base. Duffield recorded a career-high 11 putouts at first base against New Mexico on April 16. Duffield tallied three unassisted putouts against the Lobos. Duffield currently leads the team with 177 putouts.

DUFF-HITTING
Kacey Duffield is hitting .419 during the last 10 games, while producing a team-high three home runs and 11 RBI during the span. Duffield's four home runs in league only games rank tied for third in Conference USA. Overall, Duffield is hitting .279 with five home runs (ranks second on team), 19 RBI, eight doubles and 16 runs.

CRAZY FINISH
UTEP completed a series sweep against North Texas in exciting fashion on April 15. The Miners found themselves down 3-0, before chipping away at the lead to take a 4-3 lead. Courtney Clayton drove in the go-ahead runs during the fifth inning as she connected on a two-run single to left field. The ending proved the be dramatic. UNT leadoff hitter Katie Clark reached on a walk. Lindsay Gregory advanced her to second on a sacrifice bunt, along with the first out. Lacy Gregory then singled to left, while sister Lindsay rounded third and was thrown out at home by Kaitlin Ryder from left field for the second out. Lacy would advance to second and into scoring position on the throw. Sam Rea then singled to right. Lacy rounded third but was thrown out at home by Taylor Sargent to end the contest.

DON'T RUN ON THE SARGE
Taylor Sargent's throw to home from right tagged out a runner to end Sunday's contest. Sargent reenacted the play against New Mexico the very next day. UNM's Sydney Broderick singled to right with Monica Salas at second. The third base coach waived Salas home, but Sargent's arm prevented the run from scoring as Salas was called out at home. Sargent has registered three assists from the outfield in 2018.

SARGENT MOVING UP THE TRIPLE'S LIST
Taylor Sargent drilled a pair of triples, the first against North Texas on a three-run knock in the third inning on April 14, while tallying another against New Mexico on April 16. Sargent now ranks tied for second with Sarah Ramirez with six career triples. Tahla Wade leads the all-time list with nine triples.

200 CONSECUTIVE STARTS
Senior Courtney Clayton has been an Iron Woman as she started her 200^th consecutive game on April 16 against New Mexico. Clayton's 200 straight starts rank behind Stacie Townsend's 217 consecutive starts. Clayton is the sixth Miner to start 200 or more games, while Camilla Carrera started a school-record 219 games.

NO. 1 IN CAREER AT BATS
Courtney Clayton's now ranks no. 1 on the program's all-time at bat's list with 654 at bats. Clayton moved past Camilla Carrera (649 at bats) in the third inning against North Texas on April 15.

NO. 1 IN SAC-FLIES
Courtney Clayton registered a sacrifice fly against Portland State on Feb. 23, giving the senior eight in her career and becoming the program record holder. Rachel Schaeffer ranks second with seven.

MOVING UP THE RBI LIST
Courtney Clayton posted a trio of RBI during the last four games and now ranks tied for fourth on the program's all-time list with 113 career RBI. Clayton is tied with Simone Holland, while ranking behind Stacie Townsend (124 RBI).

CC'S CAREER OFFENSIVE NUMBERS
Courtney Clayton has scored 133 runs, ranking fifth on the program's all-time list behind Stacie Townsend (145 runs). Clayton has tallied 236 career hits (Camilla Carrera – 260 hits), 51 career doubles (Carrera – 57), five career triples (ranks tied for fourth with two other Miners), 25 career home runs (tied for fourth with Simone Holland) and 372 career total bases (ranks third).

CC'S CAREER DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
Courtney Clayton holds the school record with 372 career assists. Clayton cracked the program's top 10 list with 377 career putouts, and ranks sixth with 786 career chances.

COURT'S IN SESSION
Courtney Clayton has had a successful career at UTEP and its continued into her senior campaign. Clayton ranks third in Conference USA with a .406 batting average, while her 96 total bases rank no. 1 in C-USA. Clayton ranks third in slugging (.696), third in doubles (13), tied for second in triples (three), tied for fourth in runs (32), tied for fourth in hits (56), tied for sixth in home runs (seven) and tied for 12^th in RBI (27).

CC'S C-USA NUMBERS
Courtney Clayton ranks fifth in Conference USA with a .448 batting average in 18 league only games played. Clayton's 26 hits rank second, while her 13 RBI is tied for eighth.

RYDING HIGH
Kaitlin Ryder is hitting .406 during the last 10 games and has upped her average to .315, ranking second on the team and top 30 in Conference USA. Ryder is hitting .455 during the four-game winning streak, while also making key defensive plays. She recorded an assist from left, throwing out a runner at home against North Texas on April 15, while recording the putout from the behind the plate on a throw from right fielder Taylor Sargent on April 16. Ryder is hitting .314 in 18 C-USA games played with contributing with a home run and five RBI.

RYDER'S CAREER NUMBERS
Kaitlin Ryder moved up the runs and hits career lists after the weekend. Ryder scored four runs against UNT and moved up a spot to ninth on the list with 87 runs. Ryder tallied five hits during the last four games and moved two spots to seventh with 168 career hits. She added two more RBI this past weekend to her career total. Ryder has 94 career RBI, ranking ninth on the program's all-time list. Ryder also added to her school-record 19 sacrifice hits after producing two more on April 14 against North Texas.

THE WRIGHT STUFF
During UTEP's four-game winning streak, Julia Wright has won a pair of games, while also registering her fourth save. On top of winning, Wright posted her first complete-game shutout as she threw 7.0-scoreless frames against New Mexico on April 16. Wright combined for a shutout win earlier in the season. Against the Lobos, Wright allowed only four hits, one walk and tallied six K's. Wright posted a victory during UTEP's series sweep against North Texas while also adding save. Wright won game two, going the distance with only two walks and tying her season high with seven strikeouts. Wright threw an inning in game one to earn her fourth save. Wright leads the team in innings pitched (108.1), K's (84) and ERA (4.85).

WRIGHT TIES SINGLE-SEASON RECORD
Junior Julia Wright tied the UTEP single-season record by posting her Conference USA-leading fourth save against North Texas on April 14. Wright also ranks tied for 15^th nationally with 13 other players. Wright is tied with Nichole Tunget (2007) on the list.

CAREER SAVES AT UTEP
Nichole Tunget leads the all-time save's list with six, during her career, while Kaitlin Fifield ranks no. 2 with five career saves. Julia Wright is ranked tied for third with Renee DiPuccio, Stacie Townsend and Colleen Hohman with four career saves.

KIRA SHINING IN THE CIRCLE & IN THE BOX
Junior Kira McKechnie has shown the skills to pitch and hit during the last few weeks. McKechnie is 3-0 during her last four starts, winning a game two contest against UTSA, and posting a pair of wins against North Texas on April 14-15. McKechnie is also hitting .280 (7-25) during the last 10 games, while tallying a pair of home runs – the first of her collegiate career – with eight RBI, three runs and two doubles. McKechnie has recorded 12 assists from the circle.

KKKKKKIRA'S CAREER HIGH
Kira McKechnie posted a career-high six strikeouts against North Texas during a game-one victory on April 14. McKechnie threw 6.0 frames during the 11-8 victory.

TOSSING GOOSE EGGS
After its 7-0 win against New Mexico on April 16, UTEP's pitching staff now has five shutouts on the season, the most since 2007's six shutouts. The Miners beat Saint Mary's College, 7-0 (Feb. 10), New Mexico, 8-0 [5] (Feb. 17), Idaho State, 9-0 [5] (Feb. 23) and East Carolina, 1-0 (March 4). Kira McKechnie and Julia Wright combined to shutout SMC; McKechnie and Devyn Cretz combined for the first shutout of UNM, while McKechnie threw complete game shutouts against Idaho State and East Carolina. Wright tossed her first complete-game shutout in a UTEP uniform against UNM on April 16.

MORE ON UTEP SHUTOUTS
The most shutouts posted during a single season in UTEP history is nine in 2010. The 2005 and 2008 squads threw eight shutouts, while the 2007 team threw six. The 2018 Miners have posted five shutouts, the most since 2007.

VALLES'S SOLID FRESHMAN CAMPAIGN
Ariana Valles has started all 44 games at the shortstop position as a true freshman. Valles came to her hometown college after graduating from Chapin High School. Valles is hitting .306 during the last 10 games, while producing three doubles, a triple, eight RBI and seven runs. Valles registered a career-high three RBI at WKU on April 8. Valles scored a career-high three runs during UTEP's 11-5 victory against North Texas. Overall, Valles leads the team with 83 assists, while ranking 10^th in Conference USA. Valles is hitting .299 with 15 runs. Valles ranks second on the team in RBI (22), triples (two) and doubles (10).

HARD-HITTING PINCH HITTER
Mariah Ellis has been UTEP's best pinch hitter, while maybe one of the best in Conference USA. Ellis is hitting .321 in 28-pinch hit at bats. Ellis has tallied nine hits with 11 RBI and a double. Ellis, overall, is hitting .255 with a home run, five runs and 14 RBI.

FIRST CAREER RBI – THE HARD WAY
Sophomore Bryanna Molina was hit by a pitch with bases loaded against New Mexico on April 16, earning her first career RBI. The pinch-hit opportunity came during the sixth as she was hit by a pitch on a 0-1 count.

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